A69533:1216
Five disputations of church-government and worship
Five disputations of church-government and worship by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by R.W. for Nevil Simmons, 1659
Qu. Whether a stinted Liturgy, or form of Worship, be a desirable m… › Proposition 1
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Argum. 3. There are many express Examples in Scripture for forms of Gods service: 1therefore they are unquestionably lawful. The Psalms of David were of common use in the Synagogues and Temple-worship, and also in Private; and indited to such ends. Hezekiah commanded the Levites to sing Praise unto the Lord, with the words of David and of Asaph the seer, 2 Chron. 29.30.▪ The 92. Psalm is entitled [A Psalm or song for the ⟨p. 363⟩Sabbath day] Psal. 102 is entitled, A Prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord.] The rest were of ordinary public use. Psalms are Prayers and Praises to God for the most part: and both as Prayers, and Praises, and as Psalms, they are part of the Liturgy. 1 Chron. 16.7. [On that day David delivered first this Psalm, to thank the Lord, into the hands of Asaph and his brethren.] The song of Moses is delivered in form, Exod. 15. And the Saints in the Revelations 15.3. are said to sing the song of Moses, Numb. 10.35, 36. there is an oft-repeated form of Moses prayer. There is a form for the people, Deut. 21.7, 8. Judg. 5. there is Deborah's Song in form. There is a form of Prayer, Joel 2.17. Abundance more may be mentioned but for tediousness. I shall now only add, 1. That the Lords Prayer is a form directed to God as in the third person, and not to man only as a Directory for prayer in the second person: it is not [Pray to God your Father in Heaven that his Name may be hallowed, his Kingdom come, &c.] But [Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, &c.] And it seems by the Disciples words that thus John taught his Disciples to pray,